Tractor power shovel



Nov. 4, 1941. c. v. HALLENBECK TRACTOR POWER SHOVEL Filed sept. 21, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 n mlb: llillllll CHARLES VHALLv/IQK BY @awa/b; gi/W yl ATTO EYS,

Nov. 4, 1941. c. v. HALLr-:NBECK 2,261,251

TRACTOR POWER SHOVEL Filed sept. 21, 1959 2 Sheets-sheet 2 I 7i |I z 27 26 Ii .2/4 :i 26

mvENToR.

CHARLES M HALLE/BECK Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,261,251 TRACTOR PowERsnovEL f charles v. Hauenbeckmenvei-, caio." t Application September 21, 1939,-Serial'No.295,853

s claims. gram-10s) This invention relates to an improved tractor power shovel.

'As is well-known to those skilled in theart, the general outdoor construction work such as road-building, excavation, and the like,' ordinarily requires moving large quantities of earth. Various types of power shovels have been developed for so moving earth and other material, particularly for the purpose of shoveling the material to be moved intoa truck'or other hauling means, whereby it is transported to another location where it is dumped.

As the work progresses, such equipment must be moved progressively and, in highway construction for instance, a power shovel is required to be moved over considerable distance. Furthermore, it may well occur that the space available in which-a power shovel can operate is quite limited and there may be limiting' factors interfering with the approach to the shovel, of the hauling units that are to transport the shoveled material.-

Many common types of power shovels are too large to Work in limited space and some of them are so heavy that their transportation from place to place presents d iiculties. Again, in smaller construction projects, the common type of power shovel may represent too much expense in investment and operation to be eco nomically practical.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to construct a compact and efficient power shovel that is adapted to be carried on, transported by, and operated by a tractor.

Another object is the provision of a power shovel that readily can be used in a limited space and that requires no swinging boom.

A further object is to provide a power shovel that is light in weight and economically practical on either small or large construction projects.

Still another object is the provision of a power shovel that is universally adaptable to operation in diicult positions.

A further object is to provide a power shovel having a simplied system of control whereby the eiort required tooperate the shovel is minimized.

Other objects and advantages reside in details rof design and construction which will be more fully disclosed in the following description and in the drawings wherein like parts have been similarly designated and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a power shovel that embodies the present inventive concept;

Figure 2 is a sideelevation looking in the directionofarrow 2 of Figure 1;`

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and drawn on a larger scale;

- Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn on alargerscale, illustrating a modified form of i certain details shown in Figure 2.

- In orderl to disclose an operable reduction to practice of thepresent inventive concept, reference will be hadto the accompanying drawings which illustrate a typical example. Numerous changes may occur to those skilled in the art and it is therefore to be understood'thai;` the example herewith illustrated and described is not intended'to express or-imply any limitation to this invention, the scope of which is, in reality, measured by the appended claims.

The instant example comprises a frame structure designated as a whole by reference character I2, which is constructed and adapted tov be carried upon a caterpillar-type tractor I3 through the intermediary of plates I4 on the tractor. lI'he upper portion'of the frame structure I2 includes an upwardly inclined track composed of rails TI5, each ofwhich is o-f channel-shape cross section as best shown in Figure 4. .The rails I5 adjacent their upper ends bend downwardly in shovel-dumping loops I6. The rails I5 extend from their lower ends in front of the tractor, over said. tractor, to the upper dumping loops I6 at the rear of the tractor.

Ashovel Il'is carried upona pair of shafts I 8 having rollers I9 at their outer ends positioned to travel in the channels of the rails I5.

The lower ends of the rails I5 are bent downwardly andrslightly back underthe upwardly inclined portion thereof as shown at I5a. These downwardly and backwardly bent lower portions I5a of the rails I5 are therefore not perpendicular to the surface of the ground upon which the tractor bears, but they form an acute angle with the surface of the earth in front of the frame. z' f v g A power take-olf and winch assembly indicated at 20, is an integral lpart of the tractor I3 and is not illustrated in any great degree of particularity because it is not, per se, a part of this invention.

A cable 2|,` is attached tothe drum 20a of the winch 20 in the'usual manner, so .that it mayV ,l be wound thereupon by the power of the tractor 55n I3. The cable 2I isjreeved over an idler sheave The deep-groove sheaves 23 and 25 are of a type that wind their respective cables in a single tier of spiral formation so that the eiective length of the respective lever arms of force as applied thereto or thereby, varies according to the number of turns of the respective cables wound thereon. The cables 26 which are attached to the deep-groove sheaves 25 are reeved over idler sheaves 21 and are attached to the shovel I1 as i shown at 28.

The shovel II is provided with the usual wearresisting digging teeth 29 and has a bottom 30 and a back plate 3| that preferably form an acute angle with each other, thus to provide a V-shaped material-carrying bucket. The particular advantages effected by the construction of the shovel I'I will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Obviously, when cable 2| is Wound upon drum a of the winch 20, said cable will be unwound from the sheave 23 and torque will be applied thereby to the shaft 24, the moments of force being transmitted from the cable 2| to shaft 24 through an effective lever arm that is relatively long because the sheave 23 is well filled with the turns of the cable 2| at the beginning of this operation.

Torque will be transmitted by shaft 24 to the sheaves 25, from which the cables 26 are well spent. Since there is but little cable on sheaves 25 at the beginning of this operation, power is transmitted to said cables 26 through an effective lever arm that is relatively short. Thus a highly advantageous power-transmitting ratio of lever arms is effected to wind the cables 26 upon sheaves 25, as a result of which the shovel II will be elevated along the rails I5 to the uppermost portions thereof, whence the shovel I'I will fall around the downwardly-turned loops I6 being thus turned to a dumping position.

Due to the V-shaped relationship of the bottom and back of the shovel I material therein is easily carried without spilling up along the rails I5 although as the shovel I'I traverses the upwardly inclined portions of said rails, the back portion of the shovel I'I will be below the normally bottom portion 30 of the shovel. As the shovel is completely inverted by the loops I6 of the rails I5, the material in the shovel is free to spill therefrom into a waiting truck or similar means of conveying the material to a desired location.

. The advantageous ratio of the effective lever arms associated with the sheaves 23 and 25 as set forth, is of-high importance because maximum lifting power is thus made available where it is particularly needed to fill the shovel with material, or in other words, cause the shovel to dig into the bank being excavated. This operation of digging the shovel into the bank of material to be excavated is called teasing the shovel and is accomplished by forward bodily movement of the shovel effected by a forward movement of the tractor I3, and at the same time, intermittently moving or jerking the shovel slightly upward by means of the power takeoffwinch and the associated cables.

For this operation, a maximum of lifting force is available because of the leverage ratio hereinbefore explained. This advantageous ratio is furthermore particularly effective in pulling the shovel full of material up around the bend of the rails I5 onto the upwardly inclined portion thereof. Obviously, a more direct lift is required in the beginning of the elevation of the shovel I'I than is required to move the shovel along the upwardly inclined portion of the rails. As the shovel approaches its upward dumping position, the ratio of the effective lever arms in the sheaves 23 and 25 becomes less advantageous for power but more advantageous for speed, which is an optimum operating characteristic.

Another highly important factor to facilitate loading the shovel or digging it into the bank being excavated, is the particular angular relationship of the lower ends I5a of the rails I5. Since these lower ends I5a of the rails form an acute angle with the surface of the earth, or in other words, with the direction of forward travel of the tractor I3, and since this angle is opposite to the general angle of inclination of the track, forward force applied to the shovel by forward movement of the tractor, or upward force applied by the cables, causes the shovel and its teeth to dig or crowd into the material being excavated, which is highly desirable.

One directional force applied to a shovel is not ordinarily entirely effective for loading the shovel, but such force should preferably be accompanied by the above set forth teasing" of the shovel into the bank by jerking it upwardly slightly by means of the cables 26. This teasing action tends to cause the material in front of and above the shovel teeth to crack or break, permitting the shovel teeth, particularly when accompanied by the crowding effect, to penetrate further into the bank as the material loosens.

When the shovel full of material is at the upper dumping extremity of the rails I5, consider able backward tipping leverage is exerted upon the entire structure I2. Therefore, in order to prevent any tendency to tip up the frame structure I2 and the tractor I3, special provisions are made for supporting the back portion of said frame structure I2.

The rails I5 are not continuous members but each is composed of two separate members which are in close proximity as indicated at 32. 'Ihe upper portions of the rails I5 are carried upon a piano-type hinge 33 so that as the shovel II loaded with material approaches the upper ends of the rails l5, said upper ends will hinge downwardly slightly. f When no weight is on the upper ends of the rails I5, they are held in their normal position of alinement with the lower inclined portions of the rails I5 by means of structures shown best in Figures 2 and 4.

A cross member 34 is pvotally attached to the rails I5 therebeneath at 35 and is supported by means of a ball and socket joint 36 that bears upon a cross head 3'I that is urged upwardly by compression springs 38. The cross head 31 is carried upon vertical supports 39 that extend downwardly through tubular members 40 that are part of the main frame structure I 2.

At the lowerends of the vertical supports 39 just below the lower ends of the tubular structural members 40, shoes 4I are carried on said supports 39. When no excess weight is on the upper ends of the rails l5, the springs 38 hold the supports 39 in an elevated position so that the shoes 4| are 01T the ground. When the shovel .I1

`loaded with material is pulled up towards its dumping position, the springs 38 are compressed until the shoes 4I bear upon the ground thus supporting the entire dumping end of the structure and preventing any tendency to tip the mechanism backward.

y Since the surface of the ground on which the apparatus is operating is very likely to be rough or uneven, special provision is made whereby-the shoe 4I on one side of the frame may nd a footing at aV different elevation from that of the shoe on the other Vside of the frame. To elfect this compensation, the ball and socket joint35 permits the cross head 31 to position itself at an angle from horizontal, which would be the result of one of the shoes 4I finding a bearing at an elevation diiferent from that of the other shoe 4l. To facilitate this positioning of the cross head 31, said cross head is provided with slip joints 42, which provide sufficient longitudinal and angular movement of the cross head 31 with reference to brackets 43 that connect said cross head with the supports 39.

Under some circumstances, it may be preferable to substitute wheels or rollers 44 shown in Figure-5, for the shoes 4I. Wheels or rollers such as shown at- 44, facilitate forward movement of the apparatus over uneven ground surface.

Obviously, the operator of this improved tractor shovel remains on the tractor and may control the entire operation from this position. A metal plate 45 is preferably placed on the upwardly inclined portions of the rails I 5 immediately therebeneath to protect the operator and the tractor from any falling material that might accidentally be spilled out of the shovel as it, together with its load of material, is drawn upwardly over the tractor and the operator. Obviously, the protecting plate 45 is made in two sections as shown at 46, to permit the relative movement of the upper portion of the rails l5 with reference to the lower portions thereof as hereinbefore set forth.

In order to facilitate the return of the shovel I1 to its lowermost or digging position, after it has discharged its load of material, spring elements 41 are positioned on loops I6 of rails l5 where they will be contacted and compressed by the shovel l1 as it arrives at its dumping position.

After the shovel has been dumped and upon release of the cable 2l, the spring elements 41. act by virtue of their stored energy, to move the empty shovel back around the loops I6 up onto the upper ends of the inclined portions of the rails l5 from where the bucket will traverse the inclined rails l5 downwardly by gravity under the control of the operator, as the cables 26 are spent y from the sheaves 25.

While various types of return springs could be devised, the type herein illustrated in a spiral clock type having their free exterimities 41a extending upwardly into the path of the shovel I1 as it approaches its dumping position. 'I'hese means for returning the shovel to its lowermost or digging position are an important factor in the simplicity and efficiency of a tractor shovel built according to this invention.

Obviously, numerous changes in the details of construction may occur to those skilled in the art and may readily be made without departing from this inventive concept. Brieily, the. invention consists in providing `a power shovel that issupported onA a frame structure that is preferably adapted to Lbe carried on a tractor, the frame structure having an inclined track over the tractor for positioning the shovel for digging in front of the tractor, and for elevating the shovel oversaid tractor for dumping at the rear of the tractor, together with a suitable system of cables advantageously arranged for actuating the movements of the shovel by power taken off the tractor, or power from any suitable source. Means for supporting the dumping end of the frame structure during dumping of the shovel are, under normal circumstances, advantageous, but such means may not always be essential. A definite advantage is gained by having a power cable attached to the hub of a sheave having a single deep groove and adaptedto wind the cable in a single spiral tier, and having one or more other sheaves of similar construction for winding and spending shovel-actuating cables. However, one or more continuous cables connecting the winch with the shovel element. and reeved over suitable idler sheaves readily could be used with the general structure herein disclosed.

Thus the stated objects of the invention are fully accomplished in that, as herein exemplied, a tractor power shovel: built according to this invention is relatively small and compact, is easily transported, operates in a minimum of space, and shovels material in a highly efcent manner. It is highly universal in its field of usefulness, light in weight, and economical in investment, maintenance and operating costs.

'The effort required by the operator is reduced and the system of controls is highly simplied over devices of the prior art.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A power shovel comprising a frame structure having an upwardly inclined track, a shovel element positioned to move along said track from a lower digging position to an upper dumping position, and means for so moving the shovel element, said means comprising a power winch, a shaft journalled on the frame adjacent the upper end of said track, a deep-groove sheave mounted for driving the shaft, a cable connected with the sheave and with the winch, a pair of deep-groove driven sheaves secured to the shaft, and cables attached to the pair of sheaves and to the shovel.

2. A power shovel comprising a frame structure having an upwardly inclined track, terminating at its upper end in a downwardly ranging shovel-dumping portion, a shovel element positioned to move along said track from a lower digging position to an upper dumping position, means for so moving the shovel element, and resilient means for elevating the shovel along the said downwardly ranging portion adjacent the upper end of the inclined track for moving the shovel from a dumping position to a digging position.

3. A power shovel comprising a frame structure inclusive of an upwardly inclined track composed of upper and lower sections mounted for 4. A power shovel comprising a frame structure inclusive of an upwardly inclined track composed of a lower digging section and an upper dumping section mounted for limited relative movement, a crosshead mounted to support said upper section and for limited angular movement relative thereto, supports for opposite ends of the crosshead mounted on the frame for independent movement relative to said frame, spring means on the frame positioned to urge said supports upwardly, the lower extremities of said supports being positioned to engage the ground upon cornpression of the springs, a shovel element positioned to move along said track from a lower digging position to an upper dumping position, and means for so moving the shovel element.

5. A power shovel comprising a frame structure inclusive of an upwardly inclined track, a support for the track carried on the frame and movable with reference thereto, a compression spring on the frame positioned to urge said support upwardly, the lower extremity of said support being positioned to engage the ground upon compression of said spring, a shovel element positioned to move along said track, and means for so moving the shovel element.

6. In a power shovel inclusive of an upwardly inclined track, a shovel element positioned to move along said track and means for so moving the shovel element, the improvement which comprises a downwardly ranging curved track portion positioned to facilitate dumping of the shovel element, and resilient means positioned adjacent said curved track portion to facilitate return of the shovel around the curve after dumping.

7. A power shovel comprising a frame structure inclusive of an upwardly inclined track, a support for the track carried on the frame and movable with reference thereto, a compression spring on the frame positioned to urge said support upwardly, a roller on the lower extremity of said support positioned to engage the ground upon compression of said spring, a shovel element positioned to move along said track, and means for so moving the shovel element.

8. A power shovel comprising a frame structure inclusive of an upwardly inclined sectional track one section of which is angularly movable with reference to the other section, resilent means positioned to support the relatively movable section independent of the frame structure, a shovel element positioned to move along said track, and means for so moving the shovel element, said resilient means for supporting the relatively movable section of the track being compressible by the weight of the loaded shovel passing along said track section.

CHARLES V. HALLENBECK. 

